AK: At times,
Swami takes the boys out on a picnic, where He almost plays with the boys.
Sometimes, He even sings with the boys. All sorts of funny things happen.

GV: Does it all
remind you of Krishna and His cowherd boys, the Gopalas?

AK: Yes, I think
it is all action replay, like a tape being replayed.

GV: Except for
the age difference between the physical body of the Lord and those who are
with Him this time?

AK: May be, but
Bhagavan crosses all time barriers when He materialises certain things. I
know Sir, one year He materialised the ring worn by Lord Rama that was
presented to Him by His father Dasaratha.

GV: Oops! The
ring that Dasaratha gave?!!

AK: That is
right. It was a diamond ring, and Swami was smiling as He looked around
while materialising another ring – this time it was a sapphire ring that
was presented to Lord Rama by His father-in-law, Emperor Janaka.

GV: I am told
these rings are very big?

AK: Very big
indeed. I said, “Swami, it is almost the size of my wrist. How come this
ring is so big?” Swami replied, “Lord Rama was an Aajanubhau, meaning one
of very tall stature.

GV: Eight feet or so?

AK: Yes, Swami
then materialised the Mangalsutra or sacred wedding medallion, complete
with the sacred thread that holds the medallion. This was worn by Mother
Sita at the time of the wedding. I have also seen Swami materialising the
chain worn by Ravana.

GV: Ravana?

AK: Yes, complete
with 365 Shiva Lingas and a pendant at the bottom made up of three large
Shiva Lingas, one yellow, one green and one blue. All the 365 were made of
gold while the three in the pendant at the centre were made of crystal.
This was the chain that Ravana wore.

GV: What happens
to these jewels afterwards?

AK: They go back
to SAI STORES (laughter). Swami also materialised a golden replica of the
deer that captivated Sita, later landing her in trouble.

GV: Are you
allowed to touch these objects?

AK: Yes, sir. On
one occasion, Swami said, “Tomorrow is the wedding function of Balarama
[brother of Krishna] and Revathi. All of you are invited for lunch!” Sure
enough, on the following day, there was a fabulous lunch and in the
afternoon Swami spoke about the marriage of Balarama with Revathi. And at
the end He materialised a magnificent diamond-studded necklace with three
or four rows of diamonds.

GV:
My GOD! How big was the necklace?

AK: About 15 cms.
At the centre of the arch-like necklace there was a Swan suspended by a
gold chain. The Swan was clear and you could look through its eyes, beak,
stomach, and so on. Every body started looking at it. Swami came to me and
said, “Look, look deep”. I did so and there in the middle of the stomach
of that bird I could see Bhagavan Baba in a reclining posture, the classic
reclining posture of Lord Narayana, reclining on His Thousand-hooded
snake, Adisesha. That is what I saw. It was absolutely fantastic. Swami
also materialised the CHOODAMANI or the
ornament that Sita used to wear on her head. This was the
CHOODAMANI that Hanuman brought back as proof
of having met Sita, when he reported back to the Lord Rama.

GV: How do the boys feel on such occasions? They must be
transported to a different world.

AK: That is
right, into a totally different world. They had come so close that they
even took the liberty of almost pestering, saying, “Swami, let us see, let
us see!” Swami gave ample opportunities for all to see these manifested
objects at close quarters. He would keep them on the table so that
everybody could later see at some leisure. Photographs would be taken and
some of them are here in our MUSEUM also.

GV: Fantastic!
Can you recall some really moving, spectacular, or heart-warming
incidences? I am sure there must certainly have been a few of these.

AK: Well, there
was an incident involving a student from the State of Kerala.

GV: How long ago
did this incident take place?

AK: About six to
eight years ago. Swami was showing special concern for this boy. We were
wondering why? In fact, I was even jealous! Swami materialised a ring for
him, a chain for him, a watch for him, and so on, and it seemed as if the
whole trip was meant just for this boy! After a few days Swami
materialised a pair of ear rings for that boy.

GV: Ear rings?

AK: Yes sir, ear
rings that only girls wear. How is it that He materialised ear rings for
the boy? We just couldn’t understand. The next day, Swami materialised
another set of ear rings for the same boy. I thought to myself, “Swami I
have three daughters, you can give me also one (laughter), why only to
that boy, an unmarried fellow?” Then after a week, while delivering a
Discourse, Swami said, “Many are wondering why Swami showed special
concern to one particular boy. Some are specially curious to know why I
gave ear rings to that boy. That boy lost his mother long back. I have
been watching the boy crying and sitting in a corner. I called him close
to Me and asked him about the reason. He then told Me about the death of
his mother and how his mother wanted to present ear rings to her two
daughters, that is the two sisters of this boy. Before his mother could do
that, she died. Now, I am his Mother and also of those girls. Who else is
there to care for them? That is why I materialised many things for that
boy. You will seldom understand what I do. Whatever I do and say has got a
deeper significance and inner meaning. Out of frustration, the boy’s
father wanted to commit suicide. I made the boy’s father to come here,
took a promise form him that he would not make any attempt to take his
life. I am now taking care of the family. From that day onwards, the boy
has started smiling.” That story really touched my heart. I said, “Swami
you are the MOTHER of MOTHERS, dearer and nearer than the physical mother.
You truly care for them”. I am sure none of us can really experience the
depth, and the full intensity of Swami’s Love.

GV: Yes, that’s
true. Swami has always that feeling towards us; only, we are not able to
see that. Instead we go around making all sorts of silly statements like,
“Swami is angry, so He will not talk,” and so on. We do not realise that
Swami cannot be anything other than loving. In this context Swami says
that God does not change and that it is only man who changes. One day he
says God is good another day, he says God is not so great! The problem is
always with man and never with God.

AK: Yes sir and
He gives an example also. When we go by train to Bangalore, we say, as the
city is approaching, “Bangalore is coming, Bangalore is coming”. And while
departing from Bangalore, “We say Bangalore is gone”. Bangalore neither
comes, nor goes. It is only we who go there and leave from there.

GV: Any memorable
incidents that you can recall from your Kodaikanal trips?

AK: Yes. In Kodai,
Swami often distributes all sorts of things, including peppermints,
chocolate bars, and so on. Suddenly one day He said, “I am here
distributing all these sweets and chocolates for you to eat, but there is
one fellow who is not eating; instead he is dumping them all into his bag.
Come on boys! Search everybody’s bags.” It was something like an income
tax raid (laughter)! Then I said, “Swami, Bhagavan, why all this trouble?
I am the one who is not eating. I am keeping them all in my bag.” Bhagavan
then asked, “Why do you do that?” I replied, “Swami I have four children.
They expect something from me. When I take back these most precious things
like peppermints - whatever You give is most valuable for all of us – when
I hand over these things, the children will jump in joy”. Swami said, “Oh,
is that so?” He then told the boys, “Hereafter, you give Anil Kumar five
pieces of sweets, four for his children to be kept in the bag, one for him
to eat along with you and feel happy”. How can I ever forget that
incident? I don’t recall anybody loving me more than Bhagavan Baba. In
fact, this is the feeling of every devotee. This is the chance you have
given me, sir, to describe my experience which is also the experience of
millions of devotees the world over.

GV: What does
Swami expect in return for all these? This is a sort of typical human
question, because I do know that God does not expect any returns. In any
case, let us hear what you have to say.

AK: Swami only
wants us to learn from Him that just as He loves us, we must love our
family, fellow human beings and God. And that is because God is Love and
Love is God. Always Live in LOVE - that is His message.

GV: I am told
that one year on Eswaramma’s day, Swami distributed blankets to the poor
and then went out distributing to people who could not come to Sai Sruthi
or the Mandir in Kodai. Were you present at that time? That seems to be a
very unusual and moving incident. Why don’t you tell us about it?

AK: Yes, blankets
were first distributed to all the poor people who assembled in Sai Sruthi
that day, the 6th of May celebrated as Easwaramma day. Suddenly Swami
said, “Let’s go!” He got into His car and the convoy started moving. On
the way, whenever He saw poor people He stopped the car, got down and
started personally distributing these blankets.

GV: Did He
explain why?

AK: Bhagavan said
you should do everything to care for the poor, the needy and the forlorn.
This is a lesson that everyone should learn from Bhagavan. You should not
expect them to come to you for service; instead, you must go to them, the
Daridra Narayana or God disguised as the poor.

GV: Was it also
because some of them could not come because they were disabled?

AK: Absolutely.
Not only that sir, on our way to Kodaikanal, His car would sometimes
suddenly stop whenever He saw a beggar or a village woman carrying a
head-load of firewood. He would call them and give money; these are people
who have never seen Swami before nor know anything about Him, much less
that He was SAI BABA. He does things like that all the time. When I give
Him a strange look, Bhagavan says, “I just cannot bear to see these poor
people suffering like that”. Sir, I think you will be more thrilled and
excited if I say, that in Kodai, Bhagavan purchases fluffy candy or candy
puffs. Once He purchased about twenty five of them and took them in His
car – His car was full of that stuff. Later He distributed them to VIPs.
They were just amazed. Bhagavan then said, “Do you know why I bought them?
Here, in Kodaikanal there are some aged people, they cannot move about and
their children carry on their livelihood by selling these candy puffs. So
when I purchase them, they go back home with money and give to their
parents and that day is taken care of”. From that day, every body started
purchasing candy puffs. For twenty five candy puffs you may have to pay
about ten rupees, but Swami gave them five hundred rupees. I asked,
“Swami, why so much?” He replied that it was not the price of candy that
He was giving, but His Love! It is not the price of the candy, it is the
love of Bhagavan towards them. I was really so happy when one day He
called the boys and told them, “Boys, look here, you have seen Tibetans
girls selling woollen garments. Everybody go and buy so that they will be
happy!” When Sai Baba is in Kodai, they all have very good business. And
then you must have heard about the straw hats.

GV: Straw hats?
In fact I thing I have a photo of Swami and Narasimhamoorthy with straw
hats.